Cover Story : Chasing Clean Billions Sustainable + profitable Has the sustainability game changed from one of reluctant compliance to recognition there are substantial business gains to be made in
Jason Attewell, project manager with Statistics New Zealand (SNZ), has been named the NZIM Central Young Executive of the Year and will go forward to the national final which will
Perpetual Trust’s chief executive Louise Edwards has been awarded the Institute of Directors’ Aspiring Director’s Award for its Canterbury branch. Edwards impressed the judges with her inspiring business background and
AUT University business student Michael Teoh added Kiwi flavour to the Harvard Business Conference held in Malaysia last month – Harvard university’s largest outside of America. The conference was part
Extra help has become available to assist businesses to measure their carbon emissions online and find ways to cut them and boost profits. The New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable
When former Midnight Oil lead singer Peter Garrett says the “time has come”, these days he’s talking about the need to tackle what he describes as the “biggest economic, social
As economic pessimism bites, the odds are that business managers will be faced with the task of breaking bad news, such as price rises to customers, and job cuts to
Merchant bank Cranleigh is proving it’s hot to trot – and it’s touting for more ‘suits’ to front up to unique challenge. Runners and walkers from businesses throughout New Zealand
As Parliament passed New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme into law, ShapeNZ survey of 2317 New Zealanders, including 527 business decision makers, revealed only eight percent of organisations they work for
Helping work teams to get their money sorted can be good for business. That’s according to the Retirement Commission, which has developed free seminar for employers and managers to run
Two Auckland businesswomen have identified gap in the market in terms of assistance for women wanting to return to the workforce after career break. The brainchild of PR practitioner Sarah
Snowy Peak CEO Peri Drysdale has been confirmed as keynote speaker for the NZOQ learn-share-grow 2008 conference in Queenstown later this month. Drysdale is among line-up of six high-profile keynote
Linda Jenkinson is based in the United States and runs number of diverse companies across many countries. What prompted you to seek work out of New Zealand? I left New
The ability to work cross culturally around the world is now vital skill set for managers, and management education needs to reflect this more globalised business model. That’s according to
Smart organisations are redesigning jobs to retain older workers and keep their years of experience, according to research by the EEO Trust. “Employers are making big efforts to retain skilled
George Weathersby The board of wholly New Zealand-owned, private company Actronic Technologies has secured the services of Weathersby, an experienced international director based in Philadelphia. Actronic was introduced to Weathersby
The factory state is dead. But the state still grows. How come? And what will future governments do about it? The theory has been that in developed economies large-scale mass-produced
• Michael Bassett • Hodder Moa • RRP $59.99 As prime ministers go, David Lange was at once famously successful and famously flawed. His was not leadership style easy to,
September 10 Effective use of Time. Christchurch. NZIM Southern. www.managementsouth.co.nz September 10 Grammar Course for Effective Business Writing. Auckland. Brightstar www.brightstar.co.nz September 10-11 Assertiveness Mastercourse for Managers. Wellington. Brightstar www.brightstar.co.nz
Get the feeling it’s election year, anyone? The political football that is employment law has been tirelessly booted around Parliament this year, sparking significant media attention. So far this year,
Good staff recruitment and retention are more vital than ever before. Grant Thornton International recently found that employers in New Zealand are more worried about skills shortages than their counterparts
• Mary Holm • Random House • RRP $16.99 A year in to KiwiSaver, personal finance writer Mary Holm takes second look at the retirement savings scheme with this book
Tony Nowell’s distinguished career in New Zealand business spans 35 years and a number of sectors, including his just-ended tenure as CEO of kiwifruit marketer Zespri International. Now, as he prepares to make the next move, he speaks with Reg Birchfield.
New Zealand companies are well known for their high dividend policies. Shareholders’ Association chairman Bruce Sheppard takes a look at the questions boards need to ask about this.
The Beatles’ song When I’m 64 nicely captures many people’s fears about the ageing process, although not surprisingly, didn’t touch on employment issues. Angst about age-related employment issues is on
What is the secret to maintaining motivation in downturn? How do you stop talent walking when the going gets tough? By providing clarity of direction, leading well and setting an
There’s no shortage of good ideas in many organisations but it takes time to get innovations off the page and into the marketplace. The world’s first dishwasher in a drawer, for example, took around nine years, and many prototypes, to perfect. Now, Fisher & Paykel Appliances has found a way to innovate faster.
If we think about human survival on the planet, then water, food, clothing and housing, are some of the basics humans tend to need to get through day. Of course
How do you get your ideas? Here’s how Einstein answered that question: “I’m enough of an artist to draw freely on my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge
Glenn Harris is the national marketing manager of Mazda New Zealand. How would you describe the New Zealand identity? Despite our relative geographical isolation and scale compared with larger trading
That’s the $64,000 question as our major banks attempt to confront the ongoing effects of a contracting global economy and the bite of an international credit crunch.
Premium office space occupancy rates remain high in our main centres, despite the economic downturn. But the changing conditions are bringing new challenges for landlords and tenants when it comes to negotiating terms.
I am chief executive and have management team of six people. I am disappointed to say that the team behaves dysfunctionally. I have tried everything I can think of but
Cover Story : Pucker Up Baby, It’s Election Time! – Managing Democracy Colin James looks at the process of managing the country’s general election: the transition of campaigning from community
Colin James looks at the process of managing the country’s general election: the transition of campaigning from community hall meetings to YouTube, to how the parties build their brands, and the varied stakeholders they have to appease.
A handy set of statistics – the Crown Accounts Analysis – was last published in November 2005. It has been replaced by more sophisticated financial tables which are fed into
There could be lot of change in store for New Zealand’s political and business environments over coming months. Not only is there an election looming – the outcome of which
Whether it’s generating power from cow poo, creating low-cost bio-ethanol from industrial waste, or designing energy management software, clean technology is not just about being nice to the planet, it
Moving from corporate organisation, where the goal is to maximise shareholder value, to not-for-profit where the goal is to spend all your money on other people, can be an Alice
Should rights to take and use water be separated to allow the quantity of water available for use to be transferred between users? This will avoid the need to apply to change
You’ve heard of extreme sports – now wrap your ears around extreme project management. That’s the focus of this year’s Project Management Institute of New Zealand’s conference which will be
Employment lawyers are fielding growing number of inquiries from businesses looking to restructure their operations in anticipation of drop in business activity. Buddle Findlay partner Hamish Kynaston says rising raw
When the general manager of Slingshot talks about going the extra mile for customers, he leads by example – literally. Last year on family outing Mark Callandar called in to
The search is on for those who are the best at helping business. The Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards are presented annually to the country’s top individuals and organisations
Otago Polytech is using new generation technology to capture new generation of hospitality students. The cookery students at Otago Polytechnic’s Dunedin campus are downloading short training videos onto their iPods
Insurance company Marsh (Australian and New Zealand) has been named Broker of the Year by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) in decision determined by
A new industry body representing investors that provide much needed financial backing for some of New Zealand’s fastest growing and most successful companies was launched in Auckland last month. The
New Zealand Trade & Enterprise’s Scott Riddle has won scholarship worth almost $100,000 to study an MBA programme at Cranfield School of Management in the United Kingdom. The scholarship covers
The first ‘Opportunities New Zealand Expo’ held in South Africa has been successful for employers trying to recruit internationally, with more than 6500 well-qualified potential migrants attending the Johannesburg event.
New Zealand businesses rate the need to improve or leverage their talent as one of their top priorities, according to research initiative the Leadership Forecast 2008. The study, conducted by
Sir Murray Halberg has been awarded the 2008 Blake Medal for his contribution of more than 50 years service to athletics and children with disabilities. Already this year, the 75-year-old
The New Zealand Government has created plethora of agencies and programmes to promote small business enterprise, but it fails to consult properly when introducing legislation and regulations – and that
Army life is not all about being in the field; it requires skills that go beyond the use of weapons and knowledge of war craft. Territorial Force (TF) soldiers will
Dr Nicholas Edgar, the head of an independent trust that facilitates land management and biodiversity initiatives in rural communities, has won the inaugural Cawthron Science Leader Award. Valued at almost
Business managers keen to accelerate performance and sharpen their competitive edge have crash-course opportunity to learn from the world’s best. Preceding the NZ Organisation for Quality (NZOQ) ‘learn-share-grow’ quality conference
Some moves are now afoot to promote the value of mentoring in the workplace.
Paul Martin Foreign exchange investment company NZ Currency Concepts (NZCCY) has appointed Martin as senior trader. An experienced FX currency trader, primarily with Citibank in London and Merrill Lynch in
New Zealand research by executive coaching company Altris shows childcare and work-life balance are the biggest concerns for women returning to the workforce after maternity leave. Ellen Read talks to four women as they share their stories and offer advice.
Democracy is an inefficient business. Yet efficiency is at the core of many of its arguments. If only the private sector was more efficient, productivity would be higher and we
As New Zealand faces more and more economic challenges and struggles, Fletcher Building’s Jonathan Ling and Deloitte’s Nick Main tell Ellen Read what they think needs to be done to improve things.
As more and more companies jump on the green bandwagon, regulators are increasing their scrutiny of the credentials.
Business ethics assumes that for some reason the ordinary rules of ethics do not apply to business. The fundamental axiom on which the Western tradition of ethics has always been
August 1 Effective Use of Time. Dunedin. NZIM Southern. www.managementsouth.co.nz August 1 Business Plan Writing. NZIM Northern. www.nzim.net.nz August 1 Effective Use of Time. NZIM Central. www.nzimcentral.co.nz August 1 Sales
The challenge of leading a turnaround is what attracted Nigel Morrison to his role as CEO of SkyCity. With 15 years of gaming industry experience up his sleeve, will he provide the boost for its flagging fortunes? He’s certainly not leaving that to chance.
Sam Robinson AgResearch chief executive Dr Andrew West has announced the appointment of Sam Robinson as chairman of the Crown Research Institute’s board of directors. He succeeds Rick Christie who,
• Harvard Business Press • RRP $40.00 A worthy publication and full of well-researched and presented arguments, The Persuasive Leader is nonetheless little heavy. Yes, obviously you’d expect that from
• Ian Hunter • Penguin Group • RRP $40.00 Did you know that as well as improving the sewing machine by introducing foot pedal (so users could keep both hands
• Loretta Napoleoni • Allen & Unwin • RRP $35 Greed is such powerful and enterprising motivator. Entire nations, indeed now the world, are shaped by it. It underpins modern
Editor’s Letter : Representation For All Tabled : Becoming Global Leader Tabled : Governance in SMEs Cover Story : Employee Seats at the Top Table – is it likely? Tim
We canvass opinions on whether workers should have a spot at the board table.
Ensuring diverse representation of skills and backgrounds is long-standing bugbear of board composition. Making sure everyone is not retired accountant, member of the same golf club, or male and over
Shanghai-based Andrew Grant reckons the Kiwi pioneering spirit is an asset in an offshore business environment he describes as “a microcosm on steroids”. The head of global management consultancy McKinsey
With sustainability the catchword of the moment and both businesses and individuals recognising the need for resource efficiency,
Globalisation means blossoming of business opportunities. Global trade in goods and services could rise more than threefold to US$27 trillion in 2030, according to the World Bank report, “Global Economic
Literature and research in the field of corporate governance is relatively new phenomenon. While various forms of governance of business entities have been used over many centuries, it is only
Travis O’Keefe is 37 and is the founder and CEO of Health TV – New Zealand Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) channel that is on screens in GP waiting rooms around
How do New Zealand businesses best leverage the opportunities offered in an increasingly “joined-up” world? Four-year-old Holistics Group provides a successful export model based on expertise and relationships built in offshore markets.
Q I have just read Jim Collins’ book Good To Great. He talks about making sure that you get the right people on the bus before you finalise your strategy.
Back in the 1980s it wasn’t uncommon for large companies to own at least one plane. The trend may have been short lived, however, once shareholders realised that doing away with them could add millions to the bottom line. Now charter airline companies say the practice of using private aircraft could become more popular again and companies need to do their sums to figure out the potential benefits. But these sums may not necessarily relate to dollars. Helen Tatham investigates how hiring private airlines compares with conventional commercial travel.
Commentators who were dismayed early in June by the Reserve Bank’s signalling an easing of interest rates have cause to become greatly more perturbed. Their initial cause for disquiet was
Emissions Trading Scheme – there’s lot of talk around but what do we really know about the planned scheme and how it will affect our lives and businesses? Without knowing
As petrol costs go ever higher, we’re all feeling the pain at the pumps. But a company car is still a vital part of doing business for most organisations, and Robert Smith discovers that swapping a bigger vehicle for a smaller, more economical model isn’t the only way to bring down a company’s car costs.
A keynote address from Roland Jahnke, director of multi-billion-dollar global logistics company Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN), may be just what New Zealand managers need to hear to help lift
A lack of awareness of our own and far-reaching US anti-bribery and corruption laws is exposing New Zealand companies, operating globally, to increased risk, according to Mark Leishman, executive director
Supply chain collaboration is one of the secrets to success for New Zealand companies involved in manufacturing, distribution and logistics, according the Alan Stenger, who has just completed his term
As Secondary Futures Guardian, I was enormously encouraged by Tim Watkin’s cover story in NZ Management magazine’s June edition on educating New Zealand’s future managers. Particularly encouraging was Watkin’s comment
My recent membership of the New Zealand delegation to the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum in Wellington conferred couple of special privileges upon me the likes of which, as journalist, I
An Auckland start-up business is on the lookout for companies which want to watch their spend and reduce their risk with suppliers. Vendor Management – resident of the Icehouse business
Caroline Meads is the global brand design manager for cement company Holcim. She is based in Zurich, Switzerland. What prompted you to seek work out of New Zealand? Originally I
Organisations are being urged to sign up now for October’s 14th annual New Zealand Business Games. The New Zealand Business Games are the country’s single largest business house event and
New Zealand is facing critical shortage of educated and experienced future business leaders, according to recent report by Swann Group. The report identifies “demographic hole” in the country’s business leadership
High-performing organisations are distinguished by the attention they pay to critical business relationships. “Top performers do much more than focus on the maximisation of shareholder value. They pay close attention
The University of Auckland Business School Short Courses programme is celebrating 30,000 attendees, highlighting its value to the business community. Axis Intermodal manager of planning Sam Ewing attended the “Change
Never let it be said that we don’t debate stuff here in New Zealand.While significant swathes of the world march towards carbon-constraint, we’re enjoying a marvellous talkfest in our corner of the planet. Ruth Le Pla gets to grips with who is saying what about the Emissions Trading Scheme, and what this means for businesses.
Is New Zealand management learning and training up with best in the world? Kevin Gaunt, chief executive NZIM Northern, and Glenda Hamilton, training manager NZIM Southern, report on what they found when they attended the world’s largest learning and training get-together at the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) conference and exposition in San Diego recently.
Brian Blake Leadership development and research institute Excelerator has appointed Blake, managing director of DB Breweries, as its new chairman. board member since 2005, he succeeds outgoing chair June McCabe.
For nearly two years the Government has tried to make ‘sustainability’ core issue and distinguishing point in the coming election. It hoped climate change would be the vehicle. But as
New research released in Australia, in addition to earlier studies published in the United States, confirms major investment opportunities will result from pricing and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. In New
Being the one who makes your product, process, or service obsolete is the only way to prevent your competitor from doing so. Innovating organisations spend neither time nor resources on
